1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to film registration apparatus for a camera which is intended for use with film having a plurality of exposure regions and corresponding metering notches or perforations arranged in a predetermined relationship, one with each frame.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Film and camera systems are known wherein the film is provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced exposure regions, some of which are defined by previously exposed frames surrounding the exposure region. Each of the exposure regions is associated with a corresponding adjacent metering notch or perforation which is arranged in a predetermined relationship, one with each exposure region. Cameras for use with such films are provided with a metering pin or pawl which is arranged to engage the metering notch to precisely locate the exposure region with respect to the exposure aperture of the camera. Examples of such film and camera systems include 110 film and cameras, as well as disk film and cameras. These film and camera systems have typically used a reciprocating pin, or pawl, which is movable perpendicular to the plane of the film and is arranged to extend into that plane to engage the perforation or notch in the film to accurately locate the exposure region with respect to the camera lens. The reciprocating pin must be sufficiently strong to engage and hold the film, which may be moving at the time the pin engages the perforation. The pin must also be movable into and out of the film plane and yet be accurately located with respect to the camera exposure axis so as to accurately position the film exposure frame. Still further, it has been found that the movement of the pin must be relatively fast to engage each successive perforation as the film is advanced, sometimes by motorized camera drives, to avoid skipping frames of the film.
In other film and camera systems, e.g. 35 mm, the image areas of the film are not pre-exposed. Nevertheless, accurate registration of the image areas or exposure frames is necessary to prevent overlapping exposures if they are too close, or a waste of film if they are too far apart.
It has been found that the strength and accuracy necessary for the metering pins or devices in such cameras increases the cost and complexity of the cameras. This can be reduced by the improved metering pin construction of the present invention.